NOAA fisheries - antarctic logistics support services

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)/SOURCES SOUGHT

PROJECT TITLE:  NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATION (NOAA), NOAA FISHERIES – SOUTHWEST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER (SWFCS), ANTARCTIC LOGISTICS SUPPORT SERVICES

FAR 52.215-3 Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(b) Although "proposal" and "offeror" are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of: obtaining market research information.

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITION. This is a Request for Information (RFI); a market research tool used by the Government to gauge the marketplace and learn the industry's capabilities. Responses from all qualified businesses will assist in that determination. The information requested hereunder is for planning purposes and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that a procurement action will be issued or contract awarded.

No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges by the Government will arise as a result of the submission of information. Responses to the notice will not be returned. The Government will not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any improperly identified proprietary information. Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with Government regulations.

The Western Acquisition Division (WAD) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Seattle, WA is posting this Request for Information on behalf of the NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC).

This request is issued for the purpose of exchanging information to improve the Government's understanding of industry capabilities. The RFI will enable potential offerors to determine whether, or how, they could satisfy the Government's requirements to provide supplies and services at reasonable prices.

For purposes of determine Small Business size standard, the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this requirement is 488999 – All Other Support Activities for Transportation.

QUALIFICATION STATEMENT RESPONSE: The vendor's response to this Synopsis shall include the following information:

1. Vendor's name, address, point of contact, phone number and email address.

2. Vendor's interest in quoting on the solicitation when it is issued.

3. Vendor's qualifications and capability statement highlighting the following:

1. All tasks listed in the draft statement of work.
2. Possess extensive understanding of SWFSC U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) Program logistical support, research program requirements and research operations.
3. Shall be fluent enough in English to carry conversations with, and comprehend instructions from, U.S. AMLR personnel.

4. Evidence of vendor's capability to execute and successfully perform comparable work in the past (list of customers).

5. Vendor's small business category and/or business size (along with your firm's Unique Entity ID). The applicable NAICS code is 488999.

Any interested vendors shall submit capability statement with information that clearly demonstrates their capabilities to provide the services described above. The vendor's capability statement is merely an aid to NOAA's market research efforts. NOAA will consider all comments, supportive or critical, but may or may not use these individual comments. Standard vendor brochures will not be considered a sufficient response to the synopsis.

Qualification Statements will be treated separately from, and will have no bearing on, any subsequent evaluation of proposals submitted in response to any resulting future formal Request for Quotes. NOAA will not pay for information or comments provided and will not recognize any costs associated with submission of comments.

Respondents are advised that NOAA is under no obligation to provide respondents with any feedback on the information received.

Responses to this RFI are due no later than Wednesday, May 15, 2024 by 2:30 pm Pacific Standard Time. Responses shall be sent via email to Jamie Abu Shakrah, Contracting Specialist, Jamie.AbuShakrah@noaa.gov of your response must be in ".pdf format" and readable by the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Questions pertaining to this notice may also be emailed to Jamie Abu Shakrah. EMAIL IS THE PREFERRED METHOD FOR RECEIVING RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT.